EDM provides built-in tools for backing up and restoring the databases that store test configuration data. Regular backups protect against data loss and make it easy to migrate configurations between machines. This article covers accessing the backup/restore tools, understanding the database types involved, and performing common operations.

EDM supports two database systems for storing test configurations:

• SQLite – installed automatically with EDM and used as the default database. Requires no authentication, only a file path to the database file.
• Microsoft SQL Server – optional, and recommended to be installed via the EDM installer, which automatically creates a SQL Server instance. Supports SQL Server 2008 R2, 2014, 2017, and 2019. Requires either Windows Authentication or a username/password set up during SQL Server installation.

1. Open the Tools menu.
2. Select Backup and Restore Database(s).

This opens the Database Management window, which is organized into two tabs.

1. Operation on Database

Use this tab for single-database actions:

• Back Up – creates a backup of the current database.
• Restore – restores the database from an existing backup file.
• Delete – removes unwanted backup files.
• Auto Backup – schedules automatic backups so the database is backed up without manual intervention.

You can also: - Choose whether to back up the database in its entirety (tests and data) or just the tests (excluding data). - Specify a date range for data file backups.

2. Batch Operations

Use this tab to run backup/restore operations on multiple databases at once — useful for large-scale data management.

Important compatibility note: .sbk files can be imported into SQL databases, but .ssbk files cannot be imported into SQL databases. The .sbk and .ssbk formats are created using specific commands within the backup dialog box.

1. Go to Tools > Backup and Restore Database(s).
2. On the Operation on Database tab, select the database to back up.
3. Click Back Up.
4. Choose whether to back up the full database (tests + data) or just the tests, and set a date range if backing up data files.
5. Choose a backup file format and destination, then confirm.

1. Go to Tools > Backup and Restore Database(s).
2. On the Operation on Database tab, click Restore.
3. Select the backup file to restore from.
   • Confirm the file format is compatible (see the compatibility note above — .ssbk files cannot be restored into a SQL database).
4. Confirm the restore to load the backed-up data into EDM.

If your database is hosted on a separate machine, both the server and client must be configured for remote access:

Server Configuration: 1. Open Computer Management > Services and Applications > SQL Server Configuration Manager > SQL Server Network Configuration. 2. Open Protocols properties and ensure TCP/IP is enabled with the TCP Port set to 1433. 3. Under SQL Server Services, confirm the SQL Server instance and SQL Server Browser are running (start them if not).

Client Configuration: 1. In EDM, go to Tools > Access Database (the Database Connection Wizard). 2. Enter the server’s IP address followed by the instance name, in the format IP Address/Instance Name. If no instance name is given, EDM defaults to appdataserver14. 3. If you encounter a connection error, try Server Authentication instead of Windows Authentication — some Windows security policies restrict Windows Authentication for this scenario. 4. If needed, reset the password for the sa account using Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio on the server PC.